


The Routine

by Captricle



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Baby Frodo, Child Fíli, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Uncle Bilbo Baggins, Uncle Thorin, child kili
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 02:26:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18273920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captricle/pseuds/Captricle
Summary: Bilbo gets lost in thought during his morning routine, leading to him forgetting something quite crucially important.





	The Routine

**Author's Note:**

> Fili - 7-10  
> Kili - 5-8  
> Frodo - 4

As the morning sun broke through the horizon, the small home slowly stirred with life as the coffee machine started to automatically brew, the scent filling up the kitchen and slowly making its way towards the bedroom, where a groggy Bilbo stirred and poked his head from under the heavy comforter.

His eyes cracked open and peered towards the LED clock on his bedside table, 5:30 taunting him as he grumbled to himself. In the comfort of his blanket, he was reluctant to start his day, the smell of the coffee making his nose crinkle. Bilbo slipped out of bed and tugged on his robe, tying it tightly and slipping his slippers on. It was going to be a long day and it certainly wasn't going to get anywhere with staying in bed all day.

With shuffling feet, Bilbo rubbed at his eyes and let out a large yawn. His head absolutely ached and his voice hadn't found him yet, his slightly puffed eyes slowly adjusting before he immediately made his way to the fridge. 

He had flung himself into his morning routine, determining that tea and breakfast were far more important than combing out his curls or brushing his teeth. Bilbo left the coffee machine brew up a pot as he filled up a kettle to make some tea for himself. He didn't like coffee at all, but he had to admit that the scent had grown slightly comforting to him, once he had gotten used to it. 

In the early morning hours, his body absentmindedly gathered up some eggs and bacon while his mind slowly woke up to his wandering thoughts. He had to remember to set out some clothes for Frodo, knowing very well that the smell of food would wake the toddler soon, as it often did. 

It had seemed like yesterday, yet an eternity, when they had adopted Frodo. The little guy had brought so much to their home.

_'Mostly messes...'_ Bilbo smiled as he cracked the eggs into the pan. It was true, the little toddler was a bit of a menace, but deep down, Bilbo knew that he was only curious, even if his curiosity got him into a bit of trouble. 

His mind slowly wandered towards little hands climbing bookshelves and picking flowers from the garden and little feet running up and down the halls to get away from the stomping mountain that was Bilbo's husband.

_"Get back here!" the low voice called after a barrage of giggles, a soaking wet Frodo running away from Thorin as he chased him with a towel._

_"No!" Frodo giggled back as he turned towards the study, climbing up the book shelf as fast as his little body could manage, though right before he got to the top, he was suddenly snatched up in a fluffy towel and brought up close to a sturdy chest._

_"Got ya."_  
_"Got me!" Frodo squealed as his dark curls were tousled with the end of the towel, his little hands clinging around Thorin's neck and playing with a long strand of his hair.  
"You know better than to run away after a bath.." Thorin chuckled, "We just wont tell Uncle Bilbo, alright buddy?" _

_"I think Uncle Bilbo knows." Bilbo leaned against the door frame and smiled wide as Frodo reached out for him. He stepped forward and gently took the squirmy toddler from his husband, giving Thorin a kiss on his chin. "He didn't give you too much of a hard time I hope."_

_Thorin kissed his curls and gave Frodo a kiss on the forehead for good measure before he wrapped an arm around Bilbo, pulling him closer to lean him up against his hip._

_"The usual amount of trouble, one good song and he calms right down, right baby?" He turned towards Frodo who gave a giggle and reached up to pat at his face.  
"Ya!"_

Bilbo tripped on Kili's strewn about shoes, giving a small sigh before he bent down and put them in their proper place. He couldn't really be mad at Kili, he was a good kid, even if he and his brother got into more trouble than he would like. They were growing like weeds as of late, Fili especially with his new growth spurt that came along this summer, Bilbo was almost afraid that he would become just as tall as him, or taller by the looks of it. 

He flipped over the bacon, which sputtered and spit at him, continuing on with his mundane morning as he thought back on how small Fili and Kili used to be, how blunt and direct they were with their questions and wanting more than anything on this earth that they would accept him. It was only by some grace that they took to him right away with just as much enthusiasm as they did Thorin. 

It was hard, Bilbo would admit, to raise two rambunctious boys who only had their maternal uncle for the majority of their life, but they made due. Surprisingly, having the three of them move into his home was an easy decision, he had grown to love all three of them, and to have them live so far away in a small apartment just wouldn't do for Bilbo.

He had enough room for them and he would gladly share what he could. Knowing these two boys lost their parents at such a young age broke his heart and at times he could see his own pain through them. Losing his own parents was already tough on him, he couldn't imagine losing them at such a tender age. 

Their sweet faces rarely showed it because they never seemed to keep their pain inside, instead always coming to Bilbo with any little grievance or heart ache, which Bilbo always seemed to soothe over. For these boys, it seemed that he was growing into a proper parental figure and he was blessed to just be a part of their life. 

_"Mister Bilbo? Can we ask you a question?" Kili spoke up, the gap in his teeth making him whistle as he scampered over, his brother close behind him. Both seemed to be beaming and fidgeting, clutching onto pieces of paper, though Fili seemed to be holding it as if it were a delicate flower._

_Bilbo set his book down and leaned forward from the couch, resting his arms on his knees as he reached their eye level._

_"Of course boys, what's your question?" He raised an eyebrow as Kili immediately got down on his knees, causing Fili to chastise him and kneel down beside him._  
_"No no Kee! Like this!" He lifted one of his legs so Kili was kneeling onto one knee before Fili did the same.  
"Oh right." Kili returned to his beaming expression once both boys were kneeling. _

_Bilbo straightened up a bit, his eyebrow still raised as he let out a little chuckle. A little confused at the whole situation but he indulged them in whatever they planned.  
"Your question boys?"_

_"Oh right!" Fili finally spoke up, holding out their pieces of paper to him, Kili practically shoving them into Bilbo's hands and jumping with excitement as Fili rested his own paper on Bilbo's knee._

_Bilbo could feel a small surge of excitement, fear, confusion and a slight bit of anxiousness as he stared down at the adoption papers in his lap. One for Fili and the other for Kili._

_"Will you be our Uncle, mister Bilbo?" Kili asked, looking enthusiastic as ever, while his brother looked on with a look of anxiety, fidgeting slightly beside him._

_He was lost for words, of course he wanted to say yes, he had helped raise these boys for close to three years and he wanted nothing more than to have them be his official family. Their was only one problem._

_"Boys...what does Uncle Thorin think about this?" He asked as he watched the boys wait for his proper response._

_"I think its a fantastic idea." Thorin spoke as he walked over towards the three, his hands in his pockets with a small grin on his face. He stepped up next to the boys and slowly pulled out a small black box from his pocket, opening it up to reveal a sapphire ring before he took a knee next to his boys. "If you'll have us."_

_Bilbo's eyes started to water as he looked over all three of them, trying his hardest to keep his tears at bay as he heard Kili's small voice whisper over towards the kneeling Thorin._

_"You made him cry uncle!"_

_Bilbo let out a watery laugh as he finally let his answer known with an enthusiastic 'Yes!' before he threw himself forward and hugged all three of them to the best of his ability. Kili practically jumping into his lap and Fili gripping onto Bilbo's side in a tight hug while Thorin wrapped his arms around all of them, Bilbo quietly sobbing into the boys' hair before he turned and craned his head up to give Thorin a proper kiss._

The tea kettle whistled to get his attention. Quickly, he wiped his tears away and rushed over to make himself a cup of tea. It wouldn't be long until everyone would wake up, but with breakfast mostly done, he took a moment to properly make his cup and take a few sips. With the warmth of the tea filling him, he finally moved on to make up the plates. 

He set up the spots on the table to the sound of a door opening up, a groggy Kili and Fili shuffling out of their rooms and greeting Bilbo with a silent nod before Bilbo walked over to give each a kiss on the forehead.

"Fili dear, could you fetch Frodo for me? He should be up soon.."

"Sure.." Fili mumbled, walking towards the end of the hall and leaving Kili to wash his hands in the kitchen sink in silence. 

Bilbo continued to fuss with the table as Kili finished up and sat quietly at his spot, eyeing the table for a moment before he turned his gaze down to his own plate, leaving it untouched until his brother got back. Being offered a glass of orange juice beside his plate, though he dare not touch it.

Fili came back a while later with a sleepy Frodo, who rubbed at his eyes before he allowed Bilbo to pick him up. 

"Thank you, my boy." Bilbo planted another kiss to his forehead before Fili took his seat beside his brother, picking up a fork and picking at the food in silence. Bilbo didn't question it, the boys were usually silent when they first woke up, it would be a half hour after they had gotten the energy to take a few bites of food that they would be their talkative selves.

Frodo was placed in his high chair, his hands washed clean, and given a plate of cut up food beside Bilbo's chair. Right away, the toddler reached over and grabbed a small fork and stabbed it into his bacon. 

With all the plates in order, Bilbo made his way back to the kitchen to grab a separate cup of black coffee. The final piece to the breakfast, Thorin always hated it when it had grown cold, so to keep it as warm as he could Bilbo always kept it last. 

He was about half way towards the table before he noticed a familiar sound. The older boys, sitting perfectly still and quiet at the table, were sniffling among each other. Kili's shoulders shaking with his head bowed down low, avoiding the table all together as Fili picked at his food with his fork, eyes glued to one particular plate as they brimmed up and overflowed with silent tears. 

The mug of coffee slipped from Bilbo's hands and dropped to the floor with a scatter as his hands flung to his mouth, his own eyes brimming with tears before his knees began to feel very weak. His head subconsciously turned towards the refrigerator, where a newspaper cut out of one particular obituary hung up with magnets met his eye. 

The picture of his husband smiling back at him in uniform caused his tears to overflow.

Shot through the chest during a bust.

He turned towards the boys who were now staring at Bilbo, Kili sniffling and wiping at his eyes as Frodo looked on in confusion around him, looking for the missing member of the family. Fili was the one who finally spoke, voice quivering as he tried to keep the tears at bay. 

"We miss him too."

With that, Bilbo slowly doubled over and covered up his eyes, sobbing in his hands and uncontrollably shaking. He desperately wanted to appear strong for his boys, but this was unbearable, his routine was ripped apart seam by seam. He had been so careless as to make up extra food and placed an extra spot at the table and now in his shaking state, the only thing he could think of was just how much it hurt, just how much he missed him and just how much this must hurt the boys.

Slowly, Bilbo sniffled and raised his head from his hands, his voice weak and croaky as he tried to let out an apology. Fili was the first to stand up, his brother following close behind after Kili retrieved the now teary toddler from his high chair, holding Frodo as well as he could before the three of them made their way over towards their shaking uncle.

It started with slow unsure steps which evolved into a sprint before they threw themselves at Bilbo, hugging him as close as they could before they fully let themselves sob. Frodo tucked gently in the middle with his arms around Bilbo's neck, Kili at his right side and Fili at his left. 

Bilbo sat and sobbed with his boys, kissing the tops of their heads and rubbing their backs to try his best to soothe them, though he knew as well as any that this was the best solution for them. Their breakfast grew cold by the time they finally calmed down, sniffling and taking deep shaky breaths as they pulled away. 

Bilbo let Frodo sniffle in the collar of his robe as he gently cupped Kili and Fili's cheeks and ran his thumb over their tears, smiling gently at the two before he finally found his voice. 

"Did you know that he loved you all so much?" 

They all gave a small nod, Kili's eyes threatening to pool over again as his own voice quivered out of him.  
"I miss how he used to tuck us in.."

Bilbo leaned over and pressed his forehead against Kili's, a gesture he had seen Thorin do many times before. 

"I miss how he would do that too.." Fili spoke up, reaching up to grip onto Bilbo's hand which still rested on his cheek. 

"I miss mountain." Frodo spoke up, a little muffled from the robe, which only caused Bilbo to smile gently and let out a small ghost of a chuckle. 

"You miss playing mountain?" He asked, slowly sitting back down onto his heels to adjust Frodo in his lap, the two boys moving closer to sit cross legged beside them. 

"Mhm...tall." Frodo spoke, "And song time.." 

"I miss those too." Bilbo spoke, gently petting through his dark curls, the boys sitting quietly as they leaned against his sides. 

Fili quietly looked over towards his brother as his chin rested on Bilbo's shoulder, a gentle smile forming against his lips. "Do you remember the time we hid all the hair ties?"  
Kili quietly peeked over, his own lips curving into an amused smile. "He looked for three weeks before he checked the toy box.."

A small chuckle left Bilbo as he listened, he had remembered Thorin trudging up and down the house looking for just one hair tie in the early morning hours, always swearing that he'd buy new ones after his shift but he never did. 

"Or the time we asked him to push us on the swings and he pushed you right off?" Kili let out a more sincere chuckle, Frodo giggling quietly as Fili rubbed at his own nose at the memory.

"He pushed you right off?" Bilbo blinked as he looked over towards Fili, "He never told me that. He told me you tripped." 

The room slowly filled with giggles and chuckles, Bilbo ruffling through Fili's hair before he slowly started to stand, adjusting Frodo to rest on his hip and reaching over to gently help Kili then Fili up from the floor. 

"Does everyone feel better?" He asked, being met with slow nods and weary smiles, Frodo resting his head at the base of his neck and mumbling out a quiet 'Ya..', Bilbo smiled back gently at them and leaned over to press a kiss against each of their hairline. "Good...So do I, Should we reheat our breakfast then?"

Both boys turned back to the table and gathered up their plates, forming a line for the microwave as they started to warm up their breakfast. Frodo was placed back in his high chair as Bilbo took his plate away to heat up his own and Frodo's as well. The only plate he couldn't bare to touch sat at the table as a grim reminder until Bilbo finally gathered up the courage and brought the plate to the fridge, tucking it away and shutting the door quickly to remain unseen. 

He had to learn that this might be the new normal for a while, he would have to time out his new routine better and it would take some time, but he had faith that he and his boys would be able to make it. 

Now with all of them sitting and finally eating at the table, it seemed almost, somewhat, normal. Bustling with conversation and sips of juice and tea. The time had slipped passed them as they all started to share stories of Thorin, some good and some bad but all unquestionably him. 

"Well boys.." Bilbo stood and started to clear off the table, "I think you two should stay home from school today, its a little late to catch the school bus." He gave them a pointed look before he continued, "But today, all three of you have to help me with something really special, okay?"

"Okay, Uncle Bilbo." Kili spoke up, handing him his plate before he hopped out of his chair, Fili following behind with his own question.  
"What are we doing today?"

"I think.." Bilbo started, placing the plates into the sink before he addressed them all again, "We should do something really special for Uncle Thorin. We can plant a tree in the back yard in memory of him, would you boys like that?"

Frodo was the first to respond, his little arms up in the air as he let out an enthusiastic 'Yeah!'. Kili and Fili smiled brightly at the thought and each nodded their heads. 

"Well than its settled." He spoke with a clap of his hands, "Go wash up and get some gardening clothes on. Fili, will you take Frodo with you? I'll finish washing up." 

Bilbo smiled gently as the three boys started to walk down the hall, brighter and happier than they had appeared that morning, not quite themselves but definitely better. He waited until they were out of sight before he walked over towards the dropped cup and gently picked it up. He thumbed over the decorations that were haphazardly drawn all around the cup, the pristine white covered with scribbles and words that made it clear to anyone around that that was, in fact, Thorin's cup.

His thumb gently rubbed over the words 'Grumpy Uncle', of which he was almost positive was Fili who wrote that one, before he turned it over and stared at the rainbow of scribbles, which was most definitely Frodo, and a drawing of what he would have sworn was a dwarf but Kili had insisted it was a drawing of Thorin himself.

With the cup in hand, Bilbo bypassed the cupboard and instead, gave it a quick rinse and placed it into a glass cabinet, that was mostly filled to the brim with his mother's old china, but with some readjusting, he placed the cup directly at the front. He wanted to make sure that he would never be able to break Thorin's favorite cup.

His eyes threatened to water once more as he stepped closer to the fridge, looking directly at the obituary before he gently lifted two of his own fingers and kissed them lightly, reaching over to place over the picture's smiling mouth. 

"I miss you." He muttered, slowly bringing his hand back down to his side, "The boys miss you." Bilbo gently leaned over and pressed his forehead against the picture, his eyes closing as he breathed out. "We all love you so much.."

He pulled his forehead away and gave a water smile at the picture before he fixed up his robe and crossed his arms, a light chuckle leaving him as he heard the distant call of Kili in the hallway. 

"Uncle Bilbo!"  
"I'm coming dear, I'm coming."

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you guys enjoyed! Since I indulge so much in reading other works, I figured it would only be fair to pitch in one of my own.


End file.
